Gosh, all the cheap old-fart hams are coming out of the woodwork on this one.

A crude, unnecessary, irrelevant comment if there ever was one. What got your panties all in a bunch? Lighten up and learn to show some respect. You'll be "old" a darn sight sooner than you think and wonder where the time went just as all of us have. Wish I could be there to see you respond to a similar comment. You'll throw a hissy-fit to end all hissy-fits, I'd bet my station on it!Tom

Gosh, all the cheap old-fart hams are coming out of the woodwork on this one.

A crude, unnecessary, irrelevant comment if there ever was one. What got your panties all in a bunch? Lighten up and learn to show some respect. You'll be "old" a darn sight sooner than you think and wonder where the time went just as all of us have. Wish I could be there to see you respond to a similar comment. You'll throw a hissy-fit to end all hissy-fits, I'd bet my station on it!Tom

While Linux is a viable OS it lacks a good consistent GUI as it varies with different versions and some driver support still. One reason Windows got so big was a consistent interface and driver support.

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--------------------------------------Ham since 1969.... Old School 20wpm REAL Extra Class..

Gosh, all the cheap old-fart hams are coming out of the woodwork on this one.

A crude, unnecessary, irrelevant comment if there ever was one. What got your panties all in a bunch? Lighten up and learn to show some respect. You'll be "old" a darn sight sooner than you think and wonder where the time went just as all of us have. Wish I could be there to see you respond to a similar comment. You'll throw a hissy-fit to end all hissy-fits, I'd bet my station on it!Tom

A very simple way exists to deal with people who refuse to show their face. Ignore them. All that most of these unidentified people want is to stir up the pot. If denied that, they'll go away.

One reason Windows got so big was a consistent interface and driver support.

That, and some of their business practices.

But seriously, I've been thinking of re-purposing my XP desktop to give Linux a try.

Yes, the latest Gnome GUI change sort of surprised me, I suspect Gnome will maintain the new GUI for the next five or so years... If you pick one distro, and stick with it, for the most part, the GUI does not change as often as Windows changes GUI's... Every version of windows, is a bit different, and Windows 8 is a LOT different! If you have not been looking at Linux for a few years, the driver issues are all but gone for run of the mill hardware... For the odd hardware, like a high end scanner, you can get no support... I always check my hardware prior to purchase, in 99% of the cases I have no issues...

If you are looking for the net install disk, try:http://www.debian.org/distrib/netinstBe sure to try Gnome, the new interface is "interesting", and at first I thought I would hate it. After using it, it is faster, and simpler to use than the old interface... Much to my surprise, I actually like it, but only after giving it a few weeks of use. I gave a copy of the net install to a friend, he did it, and Gnome, and he had the same feelings, hated it when he saw it, but after using it for a week or so, liked it... Very odd, I am not used to disliking something and having a total turn around...

I'll stand by my statement. There are companies that simply won't pay extortion rate fees to upgrade the OS the company uses. If the system they're using now works for them, they'll continue to use it.

The comment about the newer hardware is slightly off base, however. True, newer hardware sometimes uses less energy, but just like any other power supply, a computer supply puts out only what it has to to power the computer it is connected to. Just because a supply is rated at 400 watts does not mean that it runs at that 400 watts every minute. Likewise it doesn't mean the newer equipment will definitely use less.

The older OS that may be loaded onto a newer hardware unit will run just fine on that newer hardware unit too. One does NOT have to have a new OS to pair with their new hardware. That is yet another fallacy. Yes, there may well be some hardware and drivers that the older OS won't support, but there is almost always either a driver that will work. Likewise there is almost always a work-around so the hardware will function--or you just do not use that hardware. Simple and to the point, so to each their own. There is no law that says you have to upgrade anything, so if older OSes and PC systems work for you, Microsoft and the computer hardware makers will have to survive without your contribution. They will survive, nonetheless.

I'll stand by my statement. There are companies that simply won't pay extortion rate fees to upgrade the OS the company uses. If the system they're using now works for them, they'll continue to use it.

It is not that expensive for OS. It is site licenses for Office software that can get pricey.

The comment about the newer hardware is slightly off base, however. True, newer hardware sometimes uses less energy, but just like any other power supply, a computer supply puts out only what it has to to power the computer it is connected to. Just because a supply is rated at 400 watts does not mean that it runs at that 400 watts every minute. Likewise it doesn't mean the newer equipment will definitely use less.

No off base at all. New equipment is far more energy efficient in two way, one is the average and peak draw is much less and second modern systems compile and execute 3 to 5 times as many instruction per watt of energy as old one do. Die sizes are down to .022 microns and shrinking and with that power demand and increase in yeild per wafer which means lower hardware costs too.

The older OS that may be loaded onto a newer hardware unit will run just fine on that newer hardware unit too. One does NOT have to have a new OS to pair with their new hardware. That is yet another fallacy. Yes, there may well be some hardware and drivers that the older OS won't support, but there is almost always either a driver that will work. Likewise there is almost always a work-around so the hardware will function--or you just do not use that hardware. Simple and to the point, so to each their own. There is no law that says you have to upgrade anything, so if older OSes and PC systems work for you, Microsoft and the computer hardware makers will have to survive without your contribution. They will survive, nonetheless.

This is really a waste here. XP was never design to efficiently work is a true multi core environment and is not efficient on modern hardware. Vista and beyond was design around modern multi cpu hardware and USB2, 3 and SATA. Putting XP on new hardware is like putting lipstick on a pig , it is still a pig and XP on new hardware is still a dated inefficient and soon to be unsupported OS hamstringing new hardware.

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--------------------------------------Ham since 1969.... Old School 20wpm REAL Extra Class..

Run what works for you. There is no "correct" operating system. I have been using Windows or DOS since 1987 so I have used almost every version that's has been released. Windows Me was horrible as was Vista though I know some people like Vista.

My main personal machine is a Mac running Mountain Lion. My work laptop is currently Windows 8. I have a desktop at home running Windows 7 as another laptop. I have found, in my case, Win 7 to be the most stable version I have ever used. Less blue screens and system problems for me that any other version I have tried.

Linux: I don't want another hobby. That's why I bought the Mac. I want things to simply work as far as my computer goes at home and the Mac does simply do what I require. In my experience, getting Linux to do everything I require for personal computing takes too much time and effort. And there is no reward for doing so.

It really boils down to this. What application software do you need to run? Answer that, and that will influence your operating system choice for you.

If you want to run XP, fine. When I ask people why they insist on running XP, they never have a technical reason, it's always been they simply don't want to upgrade. Ohh they tell me all kinds of things, but there has never been a technical reason . . . . Some people don't like change. That's OK.

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